Newcastle Falcons have a big European date this weekend...
Newcastle Falcons centre Mathew Tait has insisted that his side are not getting carried away despite their performance at Leicester last weekend, and that they will be switched on for Saturday's European Challenge Cup encounter with Brive-Correze at Kingston Park (kick-off 2.30pm).
The 19-year-old was part of a Falcons side unlucky not to come away with maximum points from Friday's dramatic Welford Road showdown, but keeping things in perspective he said in the build-up to the visit of Brive: "It was enjoyable actually, much better than last season for obvious reasons, when Leicester had put 80-odd points on us.
"We hadn't got anything at Leicester for a number of years, so it was nice to go down there, front up to them and come away with at least some points. If the touch judges had put their contact lenses in it might have been four points, but we're not dwelling on that decision because we've got to look ahead."
With consistency very much the buzz word this week, Tait stated: "It's the old Jekyll and Hyde thing that Rob Andrew has referred to a lot, where we just seem to drop off the next game on from a big performance.
"We're all aware of it, and it's not as if we intentionally slacken off. We all know that as a team we are capable of beating anyone, but it's down to us to make sure we're mentally switched on when it comes to game time.
"You have to respect your opponents and approach every game as a tough one. That's down to our own personal concentration out on the pitch, and there is only a very limited amount that the coaches can affect that, so we know where the responsibility lies - firmly with us."
With Kiwi veteran Mark Mayerhofler rested, Tait forms a midfield partnership with England's Jamie Noon, saying: "Noony coming in to the side will be a bonus with his line breaking and all-round play, although Bubbs [Mayerhofler] will be a big miss because he does offer so much experience there."
Having limited Leicester to one questionable try last weekend, Tait said of the new-found resilience in the Falcons rearguard: "The defence was superb, and I can't remember Leicester making a single line break in the whole game.
"It's particularly pleasing because we've taken a bit of stick from people about the defence in the past, so to stick to our method and get it right was a big boost for everyone.
"We worked exceptionally hard in and around the ruck area during the week, and the results were there to see, but the challenge now is to put that game behind us and throw everything in to the next one."
Assessing Saturday's opponents and the way the games have landed after the European Challenge Cup draw, he said: "Brive like to throw the ball around a bit from what we've seen of them, and it should be a good open game hopefully.
"The way the fixtures have worked out is quite good for us because we are at home first off and we really get to attack the tough teams in our pool straightaway.
"If we can pick up results from the first two matches at home to Brive and away at Borders, we then have two games against L'Aquila to really put us in a very strong position going in to the last two matches in the pool, where we could be really in the driving seat
